Cousin Helen, a Table, and Family Keepsakes

a potholder made lovingly by a member of my mother's family

My mother attended the funeral of her cousin Helen in Moscow, Idaho yesterday. Helen had lived a very active life into her nineties. Helen had designated many of her keepsakes to family members before her death. Mom knew she would be receiving a table. After the services family members divided up some of her beautiful linens. When Mom arrived home we carried in the lovely table my cousin John had buckled into the backseat. As I lugged a big cardboard box into the house she was eager to share what she had acquired. The inherited table worked great for displaying the linens. Fortunately after we carefully went through the treasures, I was able to pick some for myself.
I could just picture my Grandma West, Aunt May, and cousin Helen sitting around embroidering pieces like this table runner I now get to enjoy.

I don't know if I will be able to use these dish towels. They are almost too pretty for use. I have always loved the doily designs my family members have crocheted. This is a lovely buffet scarf that may just work on my piano.
This runner was my favorite. The colors used for the flowers in the basket are lovely. I felt blessed that I got some pieces of remembrance from Mom's family today also. I think the gathering of the family while they went through her heirlooms made it a bit easier to deal with Helen's passing. She was a remarkable woman and will be remembered fondly by all.

Comments

  1. Isn't it lovely to have those keepsakes? Oh... and as I scrolled down admiring the pretty things, that last image - I embroidered a cushion-cover with that exact pattern during a teenage embroidery-frenzy! Wonder where it is now?...

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  2. To hold parts of the history of your family in your hand is priceless, I do not even have anything of my mothers and I do not even not the names (except one) of my grandparents..... my family history as such really sort of starts with me and my sons, we, in a way, are the beginning of all thats good......

    Love all the bits you received..... beautiful..

    x

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  3. Yes, you certainly received some lovely family treasures. Like you, I also very much like the flower basket runner. And, the pot holder is far prettier than most pot holder's I've seen.

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  4. Those are beautiful treasures, indeed.

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  5. Anonymous18.8.08

    All of these treasured peices are beautiful. My heart goes out to you and your family over the passing of your aunt.

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  6. These are divine! One thing that might work for the dish towels is making pillows out of them. They are soooo cute!

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  7. I have a lot of this from my mom surely is disappearing.. lilies heavenly

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  8. I could have taken a lot of things after my parents died. All I took were both of Mom's baritone ukeleles. I can hold the uke close to me and think of her; I can play the same chords she used to play, so there's a connection that way.

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  9. Anonymous21.8.08

    I have some similarly inherited ones that I treasure. I love the old doilies, tea towels, dresser scarves etc, that have been passed down through the years. So much love and creativity (and patience!)went into making them.
    Yours are lovely!

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  10. My mom had an embroidered pillow slip that some friend made for her and she kept it as a treasure in her dresser drawer. I have no idea whatever happened to it.

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